Angry Youths Set INEC Office On Fire In Benue
Some angry youths in Benue State went wild on Wednesday and burnt down the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Sankara, headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area.
Confirming the unfortunate incident in a statement, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun quoted the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State, Professor Sam Egwu, as saying the aggrieved youths stormed the electoral umpire’s facility around 2 pm.
The statement said; “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State, Professor Sam Egwu has reported that our Local Government Area office in Sankara, headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area, has been attacked and burnt down.
“The incident occurred at 2 pm today, Wednesday 3rd July 2024, when the youths in the area were said to be protesting against the activities of bandits who attacked facilities of government agencies, including INEC.
“Although no casualties were reported, the building has been extensively damaged. Office furniture and other movable and immovable materials, including 10 electric generators, 300 ballot boxes, and 270 voting cubicles, were destroyed in the attack.”
Meanwhile, the Benue State Governor, Rev Father Hyacinth Alia has declared an indefinite curfew on Ukum Local Government Area as a result of violent protest.
Speaking through his deputy, Barrister Sam Ode, the Governor while imposing the curfew, cited the grave security situation in the area that resulted in the wanton destruction of property, instability and breakdown of law and order as the reason for his action.
The State government’s official statement said; “Beginning from today, 3rd July 2024, a curfew be imposed on Ukum Local Government and environs from 3 pm to 3 pm of tomorrow 4th July 2024.
“The curfew shall be observed from 6 pm to 6 am beginning from tomorrow 4th of July 2024 untill further notice.”
Furthermore, Governor Alia, while urging the people to remain calm and law-abiding, said security operatives have been deployed in their numbers to maintain peace in Ukum particularly and the Sankara area at large.
Reports said heavy protests broke out in Sankara in the early hours of Wednesday following the fresh killings of 11 people by some suspected bandits who have severally ran riot and dealt deadly blows on innocent residents of the area.
It was learnt that the protesters allegedly torched the Council’s secretariat as they laid the victims’ corpses in the Council Chairman, Victor Iorzaa’s parking lot.
Earlier, Iorzaa had told journalists in Makurdi, the Benue state capital that he could not comment on the incident as the governor was still awaiting the full report from the Security agencies.
